Does flame maple sound different than quilted maple?

[Deleted member 10619]

My Alembic bass has a very nice flamed maple top but I had it painted black because I could.

Also the headstock has a flamed maple cap on the front and back. You can see it on the back.

Blasphemy!

 

[snowdog]

Curly and flamed maple are diseased woods

Going to have to disagree with this, spalted maple is on it way to being rotted though.

 

[snowdog]

It all comes from the same kind of tree, some of the wood is figured and some isn't.

i wont get too much into depth here....but where the tree is grown, the climate, humidity, winter seasons (rainy seasons), etc - all has an affect as to how the layers of woods are grown.

healthier trees = more space between the layers. thinner spacings = harder climates, older tree's, hot, cold, and even soil composition become a factor.

just saying that the same type of tree does not mean you will get the same type of wood.

good sounding wood depends on the quality control of the builders....its why anderson, suhr, etc can charge $4,000+ for a guitar/instrument and get away with it.

I would agree with this to some point, even wood from the same tree isn't necessarily going to sound the same.

 

[IntenseJim]

Spalted maple's visual character is related to fungus in the wood.

If anybody truly believes they can hear a difference between quilted and flamed maple and spalted maple,
then they are way overindulging in and drinking way too much of this:

 

[Mailman1971]

There is only one answer to this question.......

"What does TAG say?"

 

[JTyson]

My Alembic bass has a very nice flamed maple top but I had it painted black because I could.

Also the headstock has a flamed maple cap on the front and back. You can see it on the back.

OK, you win the R-T bass wars
that thing is badass!!

 

[rupe]

Spalt = disease/fungus
Flame/Quilt = environmental factors

 

[shadowfax29]

Here is the link: http://store.mesahollywood.com/090910a.html

Never thought there was a difference in tone between flame and quilted - at least anymore than a difference between woods of even the same cut. I just thought it was funny that it is listed as a selling point when it is being covered up for the most part. I guess the binding does make sense, and it has it. Mucho dinero though.

It may also be possible that the piece of flame used for the guitar may not of been visually appealing for a trans top but since only the binding is visible made that piece a good candidate for this guitar.

 

[stephen sawall]

Every piece of wood sounds different ..... as most people know the "prettier" the wood the crappier it sounds. I have never picked up a guitar with a great top or whatever that sounded all that great.